Misconceptions On Prayer

Introduction: Scripture Reading- II Peter 3:14-18

  1. Online Article: 19 Misconceptions About Prayer that Might Surprise You
    1. For the most part, they are looking at the God of the Bible, until we look at the last point this evening. I think there they might be implying a bit more.
  2. About the Text: Peter said the many even in the 1st Century were unlearned and twisted words of Paul’s letters from the Holy Spirit. He didn’t want Christians to be that way. (vs. 17) We are suppose to know these things and not be led away. We need to study and stand firm on God’s Word and trust it more than anything man says.
  3. As we mentioned this morning, let’s have a sincere heart and open God’s Word and study it in regards this evening to prayer and these specific points that were mentioned in this article.

Discussion:

  1. “I’m too sinful to pray.”
  2. “You have to pray to ask God for forgiveness, right? There is no one excluded from being able to pray; from the sinner to the priests, everyone is allowed to do it.”
  3. According the scripture, this is technically wrong. First we are all sinners (Rom. 3:23, 5:12, I Jn 1:10); however, the writer here is referring to the alien sinner or the one who is not a “Christian.”
  4. Sin prevents our prayers from getting to God when we live in sin.
    1. Isa. 59:1-3 choice
    2. So we must first choose to remove that sin.
      1. Acts 2:40-41 “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” 
      2. This done through obedience to the gospel: hear, believe, repent, confess our faith, and be immersed arising to walk in newness of life. I Jn. 1:7 “…walking in the light of the gospel…”
    3. Once we have been cleansed, then and only then are we clear to have our prayers heard by God.
      1. Acts 8:22 “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.”
    4. It’s like trying to use a 2-way radio in the city or in the mountains. You don’t have a clear signal while your in middle of all the interference, but when you get clear of all of it, then your voice is able to reach the target.

II. “I’m too insignificant for God to listen to my prayers.”

  1. “This is not true, as God hears all sincere prayers. We all can feel like little dots in this big world; why would God listen to us? Well, God can’t listen if you don’t try, right? God has an open ear for everyone.”
  2. As we made clear from the previous point, God only listens to those that are not living IN sin, but rather those walking in the light of the gospel.
  3. Yes, he will hear our prayers, but the intent here is that he will answer our prayers. They do say in another point, which is absolutely true that God is not a genie that just grants our wishes. We also don’t need to give false hope that all sincere prayers are going to be answered on our timeline or as quickly as we would like.
    1. 2 Cor. 12:7-10 Paul’s thorn in the flesh
    2. God will answer in the way he wants and when he wants

III. “Other people have more faith; they can pray for me.”

  1. “If you have a prayer team or know “prayer warriors,” that is absolutely a blessing. But going to church every Sunday does not mean your prayers carry more weight than the prayers of those who don’t follow traditional paths to spirituality. So by all means, ask people to pray too, but don’t leave yourself out of the mix.”
  2. “don’t follow traditional paths to spirituality.”
    1. John 14:1-6
    2. John 6:61-68
  3. As we mentioned before, the only way God is going to hear our prayers is if we have obeyed His gospel and if we continue to walk in the light of that gospel. There is no other path. These are not my words, these are the words that can be found in the pages of scripture.
    1. John 12:48 “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” 
  4. As far as having others pray for you:
    1. Acts 8:23 Simon had to repent of his own sin but there is nothing wrong with asking for others to pray for you.
    2. James 5:13-20

Conclusion:

  1. We should always remember that it is God’s Word and not ours and teach it as if it were God speaking. We are only stewards of His Word and we shouldn’t twist it to fit what we want or the situations in our life.
  2. This is true even with prayer.
  3. Invitation.

Author: Patrick King